“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” -Isaiah 43:19
Dr. Carl Allamby spends his days helping to heal sick people at Cleveland Clinic’s Hillcrest Hospital. He serves others with great joy. He is an attending physician. Becoming a doctor was a dream of Carl’s since he was a child. That is when he first watched Denzel Washington play Dr. Philip Chandler on the T.V. show, St. Elsewhere.
The dream to become a doctor would take several years to be realized. Dr. Allamby was raised on the east side of Cleveland. He was one of five children who grew up in poverty. His parents worked hard to support their family, but they had limited success. When Carl graduated from high school, he looked for work. He knew he needed to support himself. He took a job at an auto parts store. Carl was a quick study and soon began learning how to work on cars. Carl became a mechanic. Carl would eventually become a master mechanic and open his own shop.
Carl Allamby ran his shop for many years. He then decided that he wanted to improve himself. He enrolled in his local community college. It took many years of night classes to achieve his undergraduate degree in business. His success in college reawakened his dream to become a doctor. He went back to class and began taking science classes. Soon, Carl was accepted to medical school. It was a long journey, but at the age of 47, Carl Allamby graduated from Medical School.
Dr. Allamby now serves the people of Cleveland, his beloved hometown. He does so with unique compassion and empathy. He has never forgotten where he came from and the struggles he experienced along the way. He has had two wonderful, successful careers. Now, at the age of 51, he is an inspiration for many.
God gives each of us passion and dreams. These dreams allow us to experience life in a full and special way. When we follow our dreams, work hard, we will also find that God often leads us to a place where not only are we blessed, but we become a blessing to others. God has called us to a full and blessed life. What is your dream? What inspires you? Trust God, know that God has good plans for you, and follow your dreams.
Rev. Keith King, Pastor of Worship
